I am deeply saddened to be reading about the passing of music legend Jack Bruce today. He was along with Paul McCartney my biggest influence in terms of rock bass playing. Most of you would probably know him best as the bassist of the influential rock band Cream. While he laid down some pretty interesting bass lines on their studio cuts, it was in live settings that he really showed what he was capable of. He had a strong sense of melodicism that came through so intensely that he often threatened to overpower Eric Claptons guitar playing and yet at the same time he was anchored enough to keep the whole band together even as they were pushing themselves to the limits of their abilities. This is a remarkable skill that I have not always come across with rock bassists in general even as I came to realize that much of the stuff that happened in subsequent metal styles was directly influenced from his period in Cream. However Jack Bruce wasnt just a great bassist. He also co-wrote many of Creams best known songs (it was he who came up with the famous riff to Sunshine Of Your Love one of the most notable standards in rock music) and sang most of the lead vocals as well. He had an incredibly expressive and powerful voice which helped to carry the unique intensity of Creams material incredibly well. He also played piano, guitar, cello and harmonica and continued to explore many musical possibilities after Cream broke up. His own solo discography is a musically rewarding set of stuff that ranges from rock to jazz and modern classical to collaborations with musicians from other parts of the world. I personally feel he went out with a bang given the surprisingly high quality of his last album Silver Rails which was released earlier this year. Jack Bruce was an incredible musician and will undoubtedly be greatly missed. Rest In Peace Jack Bruce (1943-2014)
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 16:47:47 +0000